Nostalgia, Part 2

I was telling a friend last week that I was beginning to remember the things that women are made to forget after childbirth...otherwise they would not have any more children! You know what I mean, right?! Here is a semi-play-by-play of Jakob's arrival into this world: I went into labor around 6 am on Monday, May 15, 2006 and had Jakob via c-section at 9:00 pm that night. It was a very long day of membrane stripping (sorry...that may have been too much), pitosin adjusting (on, off, on, off, on...), water breaking, and never getting past a 4! I wasn't a labor champ as it turned out! And that was just fine with me! By the grace of God, He had really prepared my heart for that outcome, I believe. I was completely at peace when the decision was made to slice me open...or maybe I was just completely oblivious to what was really going down! Jakob was stuck, and my body just didn't seem interested in getting things over and done! So, our healthy 7 pound baby boy came into this world to a very tired but proud momma and daddy! Here are the night before pictures...

Young, dumb, and unassuming....

I really canont believe that I am putting this picture on here...but it does have a great story! Jared and I wanted to have all of these artsy pictures taken before Jakob was born, but alas, we were broke as all get out! So, my mom took this attempt the night before. I couldn't see the bottom of my belly for the last two months or so and had missed the arrival of those inevitable stretch marks. We didn't have a torso-length mirror in our bathroom, so I never saw my bare belly and the lines that were popping up and out. I would lie in bed and tell Jared how glad I was that I didn't have any stretch marks. He never said a word...never. It wasn't until we took this picture that I saw them...I nearly died of embarrassment! I couldn't believe that he didn't tell me one of the MANY times I 'bragged' about my belly! Now, we just think its hilarious...and I'm watching the 'roadmap' form this time around!

Jakob Mark Hardy, 9 am, May 16, 2006...12 hours old

One perk of a c-section?...Daddy gets to change the first diaper!!! No black tar for me!

Our first family of three picture!

I cannot believe that we are only 9 weeks away from being a family of four...crazy! I am so ready to see her face, smell her skin, and steal those sweet moments that have no words of explanation. Jakob was and Lily will be worth every bit of discomfort, pain, and inability to roll over in bed for MONTHS without full-body effort...that is the part I mentioned forgetting about! I swear that rolling over post-c-section is the worst part of all, but bring it on!!!